A former Simba SC coach advises Steve Barker on some things he should pay attention to!

A former Simba SC coach advises Steve Barker on some things he should pay attention to!

The former coach of Simba SC in Tanzania, Dylan Kerr, offers crucial advice to Steve Barker, who recently made a bold move from coaching Stellenbosch in South Africa to one of the most scrutinized roles in African football.

Reflecting on his time leading Simba during the 2015-2016 season, Kerr gets straight to the heart of the challenge: "The biggest thing he needs to do is beat Yanga. That’s all Simba coaches have to do to ease the pressure on themselves."

Kerr elaborates on the intensity of the rivalry:

"It’s the same when you are at Yanga, all you need to do is beat Simba. There are 18 teams in the league, but the three biggest are Yanga, Simba, and Azam SC. The Simba and Yanga dynamic is like the clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in South Africa."

His comments build to a peak as he describes the scale of the opportunity and expectation: "Everyone in Tanzania supports Simba. If he can win over those fans, he’ll be a hero. If he triumphs in his first match against Yanga, he’ll be a legend forever. This means so much to the supporters."

Kerr concludes with well-wishes, acknowledging Barker's risk: "I wish him all the best. He has chosen to leave a very good club with amazing facilities. Let's hope he continues his journey successfully in Tanzania."

This challenge comes at a critical time for Simba SC, a club that hasn't claimed the domestic title since 2021, while its arch-rival Yanga dominates the scene. The team is also facing difficulties in the CAF Champions League, sitting at the bottom of its group after two losses in its opening matches.

As for Barker, the 58-year-old arrives with a distinguished record from South Africa. He led Stellenbosch from the second division to automatic promotion in 2021, secured the Carling Knockout Cup in 2023, and guided the team to qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup in consecutive seasons, reaching the semi-finals in their latest continental campaign.